There and Back Again And Again
by Auggusst
Summary: After Thorin's death, Gandalf discovers what Bilbo's ring is and demand a trade. Thorin is brought back to life as trade for the ring. Perfect! Only one problem- he doesn't remember who Bilbo is! Now Bilbo has to make Thorin fall in love with him again, and go on another adventure-Can he do it? Mix of movie & Book verse, Bagginshield/Thilbo. 1 or 2 mature chaps later. Slow update.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Bilbo Baggins never wanted to be in a large battle. He never wanted his ears to rattle from the war cries of different peoples, the clang of swords and axes and the zings of bows losing their arrows in the air, the stench of death and the feeling of pain heavy all around him, and yet this was the exact situation he found himself in. Forced between many people, all taller than him, Bilbo fought to keep his life. He swung Sting back and forth, stabbing it through rough orc armor. In the distance, he could see Thorin. The dwarf struck down a large orc, growling in rage.

"Bilbo!" he called, looking around as he was momentarily free of action.

"Here!" Bilbo replied, dodging through the crowd to get to his side. Thorin decapitated a goblin.

"Slip on that ring of yours, and get out of this fray! I fear this will end badly." He said, grabbing Bilbo's forearm. Bilbo shook his head, swinging around to Thorin's left side and stabbing another fiend.

"I'm not leaving!" he replied stubbornly. Thorin looked down at him, dark blood of orcs caked in his hair and on his armor. His expression was intense, pleading, filled with several emotions. He brushed a curl out of Bilbo's eyes.

"I'll fight better knowing I don't have to worry about you. Now go!" Thorin demanded.

After a split-second of eye contact, Bilbo did as he was told, feeling frustrated at the situation. He reached into his pocket and slipped on the familiar golden ring, feeling the shift around him as he became invisible. The hobbit muttered things under his breath as he moved to the outer edges of the battle, almost meeting the end of a blade here and there. He refused to leave the battle entirely. The action was less intense here on the outside, yet still horrifying. All around him he could see the chaos. He wished once again for his warm and peaceful home, or any peaceful home, or any place besides this. Bilbo felt lost, eyes focused on a familiar face far away, valiantly fighting. He cut down a few orcs who of course couldn't see him coming. There were a few other faces he recognized, Fíli and Kíli in close proximity to Thorin, doing lots of damage despite their young ages. A row of Elven archers fired into the crowd, and the pained voices of orcs howled. More came over the mountains, however, and things began looking truly unlucky for everyone. Suddenly there was a symbol of hope- the Eagles came, in great numbers, from the North. They swept over the crowd, expertly picking out the enemies. It was great to behold. Bilbo allowed himself a moment of peace and joy, taking in the spectacle and sudden turn of events, until he was abruptly hit in the head with a large stone and fell to the ground, unconscious.

A few minutes after Bilbo awoke; he was recovered by a man after removing the ring from his finger. His head was pounding-Bilbo was pretty sure skin was broken by that rock-and his body ached. What was worse, however, was the sight of the battlefield. Bodies strewn all around, all of different races, yet it was hard to distinguish who was what. Everything was covered in blood, dark blood and crimson blood. The smell was horrible, and almost made Bilbo sick. The man who had found him took Bilbo to a sort of infirmary, a series of tents outside of the ruins of Dale. There were many people here, but of course, not as many as those who lay dead. The first familiar face the hobbit saw was Gandalf.

"Bilbo Baggins!" he exclaimed, standing from a chair. He puffed a smoke ring from his pipe. "Why I never… You have survived much during this journey!" he said, patting Bilbo on the back. Bilbo shrugged, wincing as an elf bound the gash on his forehead. He had a pounding headache, and a bit of trouble sorting out his thoughts. Honestly, he wished for sleep.

"Either way, we have time to chat later. I'm afraid you have other business to attend, and I am not so sure you will like it." The wizard added. Bilbo raised an eyebrow.

"Other business? What is it, Gandalf?" he asked, following the wizard. Gandalf did not reply, but simply lead him to another tent. A feeling of dread and anxiety bubbled in Bilbo's chest. What had happened? Where was he going? Gandalf's following words answered the question for him.

"Thorin! We have found him." Gandalf said as he pulled back the flap of the canvas tent.

Inside the tent lay Thorin Oakenshield on a bed, armor-less and covered in blood-soaked bandages. His weapons, still caked in blood, lay on the floor. The sight made a pang in Bilbo's heart, and he practically flew to Thorin's bedside. The Dwarf looked weak, very weak, something so uncharacteristic of him. Pale blue eyes met green ones. Thorin placed his rough hand on the back of Bilbo's head, fingers gently sifting through his curls.

"Bilbo…" he said quietly, a sound of relief in his voice. There was something that told the Halfling this wasn't a happy meeting.

"I'm here." Bilbo replied, coming closer.

"Farewell, my burglar." Thorin said, looking into his eyes. "I'm….I'm sorry." He added.

Bilbo shook his head. "W-what? No…Thorin…"

Thorin coughed. "It was the gold. The riches of my homeland…I couldn't see my greed. I couldn't truly see the treasure before me. The treasure worth millions…millions more than the Arkenstone, or any jewel in Erebor." Bilbo's heart swelled. He cupped Thorin's cheek and leaned in, tears stinging behind his eyes.

"Don't speak like that… you're going to heal. You're going to heal very nicely, a-and then there will be a wonderful celebration. Everyone will cheer, for the King Under the Mountain has returned." Bilbo said. Thorin shook his head.

"Bilbo…" the injured Dwarf winced, leaning upwards. The small distance between them was closed, and their lips met. They had kissed once before, but this was different. This was like the first warm day in years of endless winter, like the first rain in a season of drought. Bilbo slung his arms around Thorin's neck, propping him up. There was a sense of fulfillment and passion with Thorin's lips pressed against his, the distance between them mere centimeters, the Dwarf's warmth around him. He never wanted it to end. Slowly Thorin drew back, and Bilbo laid his head back on the pillow. Thorin looked pained, his breathing failing. Bilbo hardly had time to react. Thorin placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

"Farewell Bilbo Baggins…_my_ _Arkenstone._" With that, his eyes fluttered and closed, his chest ceasing to rise and fall in the pattern of the living. Thorin's hand fell from the Halfling's shoulder.

"Farewell…K-King Under the Mountain." Bilbo muttered, tears running down his face. In that moment, Bilbo cared not for the 14th share of treasure, for the future tales of bravery centered around his adventure, not even so much for the lovely ring he had found. He cared for the wonderful companion and love he had found in Thorin Oakenshield, Heir to the throne of Durin, Leader of a proud people, and now that he had lost. He sat on the ground, small hands holding tightly to Thorin's calloused and cold one, and wept for hours.

Bilbo never wanted to move from that spot. He never wanted to, or felt he could, be happy again. Not even his warm hobbit hole seemed a place of joy. When he thought of it now, all he could feel was despair. The beautiful fields of flowers of the Shire seemed like weeds of sorrow, and the sunshine that shone over the rolling hills was like an intense and evil flame, like the dragon that had been slain not two weeks ago. He had to be torn away from Thorin's side, kicking and screaming. The hobbit's voice was raw from sobbing and cursing, and it was some time before he was calmed. Bilbo was quiet, in his own recovery tent now, sitting on the bed and staring at the cold ground. Gandalf sat beside him. He was retold the battle, and said nothing, only listened. Of all of the company, Thorin alone had fallen. His nephews were badly wounded, but on the road to recovery. Everyone suffered some injury or another it seemed, but the one Bilbo cared for the most was lost. _Why couldn't it have been anyone else?_ Bilbo thought to himself desperately. _I would give anything… Anything… Damn this battle, damn all of this! Thorin…my Thorin… and I wasn't there to save him!_ Gandalf's deep voice faded in the distance, and Bilbo found himself in a pit of regret.

"I wasn't there to save him!" he said very suddenly, startling the wizard. Bilbo clenched his fists, eyes burning from tears. "I wasn't…I wasn't there. I should have been there…." He said, more to himself than anyone. Bilbo felt very enraged in that instant. He reached into his pocket, and his fingers closed around the golden band. "Curse this ring!" Bilbo said, casting the ring across the tent. Gandalf looked very confused for an instant, eyes following the path of the ring. The bushy-bearded man stood and walked over to the small ring.

"I think it's high time you told me your secrets, Bilbo Baggins." He said. Bilbo looked up.

"What does it matter?" he snapped, feeling very anxious to see Gandalf standing over his ring. He rose to his feet, inching over. Gandalf blocked his path.

"I have said this once and I will say it again- you have changed, Bilbo. And I am beginning to think this trinket of yours has something to do with it."

Bilbo, feeling very upset about many things, picked up the ring and returned to his seat and spoke of it with the wizard. He had told the true story of his finding of the ring, and even spoke of his attachment to it. Fresh tears threatened to surface when he retold his place in the battle.

"I will never forgive myself, or this ring." Bilbo said, stuffing the infernal thing back into his pocket. "I'd give anything…" he muttered. Gandalf had been in quiet contemplation as the hobbit spoke, and now turned to him.

"This might be a bold request, but may I see that ring of yours?" Gandalf asked. Bilbo looked incredulous. "

What?" he asked.

"The ring," Gandalf replied. "Let me see it." His voice was stern. Bilbo reluctantly reached into his pocket and pulled out the polished ring. He placed it in the palm of his hand, for the wizard to see.

Gandalf inspected it with a serious expression. Something shifted about his demeanor. He muttered something in another language, Elvish, it sounded like.

"Excuse me?" Bilbo said. Gandalf's attention returned to him.

"I'm going to have to take this ring, Bilbo." He said. Bilbo's fingers closed around the object, and he drew back.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"I would not take it if I did not have to." The wizard replied. Bilbo shook his head.

"What's this all about? And why should I have to give it to you? The ring is mine!" he said. Gandalf looked furious.

"Very well, Bilbo Baggins. I will strike you a deal." Bilbo looked up at Gandalf doubtfully.

"What is the deal?" he inquired. Gandalf was quiet for a second.

"What do you desire most?" he asked. Bilbo raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he replied, knowing very well what the answer was, well, who the answer was.

"I do believe we can help each other here." Gandalf added. Bilbo remained quiet, looking suspiciously at the elder. Gandalf spoke again. "I require that ring, Bilbo. Not to keep for my own, you see, but for something of much greater importance. I will not tell you the reason, however, so do not bother to ask. I understand that you do not wish to part with it. So, I offer an exchange." He explained. Bilbo nodded.

"Go on…" he replied, sitting straight.

"The members of the White Council have many different skills, master Baggins. But put together, something truly extraordinary can be achieved. Give me that ring, and I will see, with the help of the other wizards, Thorin Oakenshield returned to the living." Bilbo's poor heart nearly gave out. His thoughts swam with questions and wonderings about the possibility of such a thing. He had already begun to accept living the rest of his life in despondency, and now there was a ray of sunshine, of hope? It was a lot to take in. He wanted Thorin back. Oh how he wanted Thorin back. But the ring… Could he so easily give up this small trinket, this thing he had become so oddly fond of? Not to mention it was quite useful…But Gandalf seemed to feel differently about it, and he obviously knew something about it that Bilbo didn't. It was a good long moment before the hobbit responded.

"You could bring Thorin back?" he asked, bewildered. Gandalf nodded.

"Yes." He replied. Bilbo looked down to his hand, opening his fingers to look at the ring. It was surprisingly and horrifyingly a hard decision, but Bilbo had made up his mind. He stood, holding out the ring.

"I want my Dwarf back."

* * *

Bilbo wasn't sure what to expect from all of this. He wasn't sure how Wizard magic worked, if it worked at all, and what the outcome would be. He of course trusted Gandalf. Now he found himself standing outside of a funeral room in Erebor, with tall wizards striding by him and into the entrance. Peeking through the door Bilbo could see Thorin's body on a slab of marble that had runes marked around the sides, and he longed to see him again. However, Gandalf had forbidden him to enter the room. The last Wizard walked passed him, a tall and thin man in robes of white. He looked down at the Halfling with a serious expression.

"Be warned, Bilbo Baggins. There is a reason we do not do this often. You may come to find Thorin Oakenshield changed, whether the change is great or small, however, I cannot say. Either way, you were right to agree to the deal, and we will keep our side of it, as long as you keep yours." He said, holding out a long, slender hand to Bilbo. Feeling rather anxious and conflicted, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold band. It took him a second, but he managed to hand over the thing to the wizard. Gandalf gave a reassuring smile.

"Come, Saruman, let us begin." He said, gesturing for the man in white to walk ahead of him. Saruman did so. Before closing the doors, Gandalf winked at Bilbo, which wasn't as comforting as it was meant to be. Feeling empty and skittish without his ring and his Dwarf, Bilbo paced the hall awkwardly, ignoring those that walked passed. Erebor was already being rebuilt, however only simple things were being done at this point. Many were still injured and in the make-shift infirmary at Dale and the people of Lake Town were struggling as well. The finer details would have to wait until new Dwarves from the Blue Mountains made the journey, with new supplies and hope. The hobbit sat down and sighed, wondering what he got himself in to. It seemed that's all he ever wondered.

After what seemed a lifetime, the heavy stone door opened, and Gandalf came out. His face was relatively happy, which indicated that it was a success. Bilbo said nothing, instead quickly getting to his feet and walking through the door. He felt incredibly nervous as he entered the cold room. He could see no tools used by the wizards, and was very curious as to what happened as he stood outside of the door. Bilbo quickly came to Thorin's side. He looked a lot better than when Bilbo last saw him, his skin darkened and colored again, unlike the cold and lifeless body he used to be. He was cleaned and primped, a silver crown was on his head, and small white jewels were weaved into his front braids. He looked very peaceful and regal- his clothing a deep blue, like he would usually wear, but with patterns and cuts that simply conveyed authority and beauty. Kingly. Bilbo admired this beautiful man, small fingers tracing the contour of his jaw. _Wake up_…he thought. As if by some miracle his thoughts were heard, and Thorin shifted. His eyebrows knit together and his eyes fluttered open, more vibrant and mesmerizing than the hobbit remembered. Bilbo could hardly contain his relief and excitement, and as Thorin began to sit up, he threw his arms around him, relishing in the warmth of his lover.

"Thorin! It's you! I-I can't believe this!" the Halfling exclaimed, feeling the familiar sting of tears behind his eyes- however this time, they were tears of utter joy. But, something was wrong. No strong arms held Bilbo closely, no words of love came. Instead, he was rather rudely pushed off, and he had to regain his balance. Bilbo stared with confusion at his Dwarf.

"Th…Thorin?" he asked. The raven haired man mirrored the confusion, and seemed rather curious and shocked. His expression turned very annoyed.

"Who are you?! And where am I? Speak quickly!" Thorin said, no affection in his voice.

It was like the stone had hit him all over again. Bilbo now understood what Saruman had spoken of. Of all the things that would happen, he could not believe that Thorin, his Thorin, would not remember him. It seemed 'luck wearer' was no longer an accurate title for the hobbit.

* * *

Bilbo was stunned, to say the least. It was a long moment before he could utter a word. When he did, he said, "Thorin…D-don't you remember me?" It was something quite hard for the Halfling to believe, that his one love, now returned from the dead, had no idea who he was. Thorin looked incredulous, and got to his feet.

"I do not. Should I? I would certainly remember meeting one of the shire-folk." He snapped. Bilbo gathered his thoughts. He held out his hands, wondering how he would survive all of this.

"Well, listen… This might be very, _very_, difficult to understand… But…You're in Erebor. The dragon was killed, and a large battle took place. You fell in battle, but the White Council has brought you back for….reasons. Your quest was a success, and Lord Dain and the dwarves of the Iron Hills are here helping to rebuild. Something went wrong in your resurrection. You have memory loss." Bilbo explained. During all of this, Thorin was very quiet. Still suspecting and confused, he watched Bilbo with intent eyes.

"That…That answers one of my questions. Now the other. Who are you?" The hobbit panicked slightly. He sighed.

"Bilbo Baggins… And… well… You love me, and I love you. Or… you did love me." He ended quietly, the words like a blow to his heart. He knew them to be true, that much was clear when Thorin awoke. Thorin was silent for a second.

"Well…" is all he said, coughing awkwardly. "You say we are in Erebor? Where is my company? My nephews? And how do we know each other?" he demanded. Bilbo headed to the door.

"I'll explain on the way." He replied. And so he did.

Bilbo explained many things, but left out the romantical parts. He spoke of the journey and the battle, and how things went. Thorin didn't interrupt, instead he looked all around him. It was very awkward and difficult for the Hobbit, standing next to his Dwarf and not being able to hold his hand, or hug him or anything of the sort. People they passed were astounded- apparently Gandalf had not spoken of what happened. They all greeted a very confused King Under the Mountain, and looked on curiously. The rest of the way to the infirmary was silent, and very uncomfortable. Finally, Bilbo came toward a certain tent. He opened the flap and held it for Thorin to enter. Inside were his nephews, looking rather miserable. Kíli had a chest wound that was heavily bandaged, as well as some deep gashes on the right arm. It looked like perhaps a warg got him. On the opposite side of the tent lay his elder brother. Fíli's leg was broken and elevated, and a deep cut ran across his neck, just below the start of his shoulders. They had no doubt heard of the death of their uncle, so when he walked in, they were beyond elated and highly confused.

"Uncle!" Fíli exclaimed, curiousity and disbelief in his voice. Kíli mirrored him. Thorin came to both of them, very distressed at their injuries. Kíli looked at Bilbo.

"How? What _happened_?" he asked. Bilbo laughed awkwardly.

"Well you see…" he replied. And so Bilbo told the three of them what had happened.

Once news of Thorin Oakenshield awakening from the dead got around, the members of the company began showing up spontaneously at Fíli and Kíli's tent. Dwalin arrived first, eyes widening in shock as his apparent suspicions proved true.

"Thorin!" he shouted gleefully, slapping his friend on the back. Thorin looked at him curiously, but seemed happy to see another familiar face. The others joined them quickly, and only then did Bilbo, much to his annoyance, once again explain the situation. Balin looked thoughtfully at Thorin.

"What do you remember last?" he asked. Thorin thought for a second.

"I was at the Inn of the Prancing Pony, in Bree, on the way to meet the burglar Gandalf had spoken about." He said.

_Wow_. Bilbo thought to himself. No wonder Thorin didn't remember him- in Thorin's mind they had never even met! This was the most problematic thing Bilbo had ever experienced. Everyone seemed distressed at this news, and they all began to talk at once. The hobbit was feeling rather lightheaded and distressed himself, so he left the tent. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Thorin give a curious glance in his direction. The sun was setting, and the temperature had dropped a few degrees. It mattered not to Bilbo. He planted himself on the ground in front of the tent, and rubbed his temples, careful not to agitate the sore, bandaged spot on his forehead. _What have you gotten yourself into, Bilbo Baggins?_ The Halfling thought to himself. It was rather devastating, really it was. How was he to move forward? What would the future hold? He felt all together flummoxed and confounded, and desperately wished now for a few tea cakes to calm him down. One thing was quite clear- he would have to make Thorin fall in love with him again. There was no way around it, and he wanted it no other way. And honestly, if he had managed it once before, he could do it again! It would require help, lots of help, and he knew exactly the two for the job.


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR NOTE:** Man I'm sorry this chapter is so short ;a; It's so fluffy too. Jeez. Don't worry, the next chapter will be a lot better. Depending on how much work it is, it'll be out sometime tonight or the 26th. Speaking of which, Merry Early Christmas!

* * *

Chapter 2

The next morning, Bilbo found himself once again at Fíli and Kíli's tent. No one else was around, but even from outside the tent he could hear the two were awake, making a joke about who-knows-what. It was rather astounding, that they should be in such miserable condition yet such high spirits. Then again, their uncle and father figure came back from the dead… With a sigh, Bilbo entered the tent.

"Morning." He said. The two looked over and nodded. "How are you both feeling?" Bilbo asked genuinely. He had grown rather fond of the two and their antics, and their personalities simply had to be adored. Fíli shifted.

"Not too well, but there's nothing I can do, I suppose." He replied. Kíli nodded.

"Hoping this huge bite won't hinder my aim." He said with a sigh. "Then again, I'd be a lot more intimidating if you didn't know if I was shooting at your foot or your face." He joked. Bilbo smiled a little.

"Well, don't worry. You'll both be fine." He replied. Fíli looked over at the hobbit.

"Is something bothering you, Bilbo?"

"You know, besides the fact that Uncle Thorin doesn't remember you." Kíli added. Fíli rolled his eyes at his younger brother.

"You know Kee; you shouldn't say everything that comes to your mind." Kíli pouted a little.

"Why ever not?" he asked. Fíli was about to reply when Bilbo cut in.

"Anyways…" he said. The brothers returned their attention to him. "Yes, it is about your uncle." He said. Fíli gestured for him to continue. Bilbo sighed, sitting down on a stool in the tent.

"As you know, I traded my ring to the wizards to bring Thorin back. And now he doesn't remember me. But I certainly can't have that. Either his memory will return piece by piece-hopefully- or it won't. That's where you two come in." the hobbit explained. The princes looked very interested.

"Go on." Kíli sing-songed.

"I need your help to get your uncle to fall in love with me again." The brothers shared a look, and their gaze returned to Bilbo.

"We'll do it." Fíli said.

"We'll definitely do it." Kíli added with a grin. Bilbo felt a little better, knowing that the first step to this no doubt long process was over.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you two." He replied with a laugh.

It would of course, be a while before his helpers could, well, help, seeing as they were both severely injured. Bilbo just had to test his own luck for the time being. Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to test it. Thorin was immensely busy. He was in meetings with his cousin Dain, out rallying the people and explaining his return from the dead, and making plans for Erebor. This left Bilbo feeling very lonely, and very much out of place. When he slept, he dreamt of Thorin, and when he woke, that was all he thought of. He found himself now sitting at Erebor's main gate, smoking a pipe absentmindedly. Bilbo had always loved making smoke rings, and he was particularly good at it. Some were big, and some small. It was very amusing. He almost forgot about his troubles, until someone cleared their throat. Startled, Bilbo choked on some smoke. He turned around, and saw none other than Thorin standing there. Bilbo jumped to his feet, looking up at the taller man.

"Thorin!" He said. "I didn't know you were there…"

Thorin said nothing, his eyes surveying the hobbit. His expression was serious, brows pulled down. Bilbo's heart ached as he looked at the familiar face. He wanted to reach out, to brush Thorin's hair out of his face. After a few seconds, Thorin spoke, voice full of formality like when they had first met.

"I have heard our journey told in detail. And…" an awkward cough came from him here, "I'd like to thank you. Thank you for all of your help in reclaiming my homeland." Bilbo blinked. A smile spread across his face.

"Well, uh, you're welcome." He replied. "It wasn't really that much trouble…" Thorin shook his head.

"You stole from a dragon, Master Baggins. That is no easy feat." _Master Baggins_, Bilbo thought miserably. It took long enough for Thorin to stop calling him that, and now he was at it again. In this instant Bilbo realized that he had another long adventure ahead of him, yet this one seemed much harder.

"Well someone had to do it." Bilbo joked feebly. Thorin didn't find it humorous.

"I wanted to speak with you." He said. Bilbo stood straight, feeling very nervous all of a sudden.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Soon, more of us from the Blue Mountains will be making the journey. My sister, Dís, insists on making the trip herself, but I have told her otherwise. I will be going to bring her here, and Lord Dain will be handling things. I need a company, and," he looked away, "I would be honored if you joined."

Bilbo was silent for a second. _Another_ journey, and so soon? Then again, Thorin was asking him to come along; perhaps this was a good sign. If there was anything Bilbo learned from the journey to Erebor, it was that danger brought people together. Also that the smallest tended to do the most work(Meaning himself).This was definitely a good sign.

"I'd love to." Bilbo replied, with a serious and polite nod. Something changed in Thorin's eyes for a moment, and he looked away quickly.

"Good. The trip will have to wait until Fíli and Kíli are in better condition- I'd never hear the end of it from them or their mother if they didn't come along." Bilbo nodded.

"Alright, so, when do we leave?" he asked.

"In about a month." The Dwarf replied. He looked like he was about to say something else, but instead quickly walked away. Bilbo sighed. So their first _real_ conversation wasn't a hit. Still, there was hope in Bilbo's heart. He _would_ have his Thorin back.

* * *

The next few weeks, Bilbo spent most of his time with Fíli and Kíli. Unfortunately, they weren't very good at planning these sorts of things. One week Fíli had come down with a fever, and Bilbo took it upon himself to help him get better.

"You know," Kíli had said one day, watching Bilbo with tired eyes pat Fíli's warm face with a cold, wet cloth, "I honestly hope things work out in the end. It'd be nice to have another uncle."

Bilbo stopped, looking over at the sleepy prince. He smiled, feeling more affectionate for the two now than ever.

"I hope it works out as well. I wouldn't mind having some nephews, not even ridiculous ones such as yourselves." He teased. Kíli grinned, stretching out his arms.

"Already calling us names. I see how it is, uncle." The brunette replied. Bilbo threw a pillow at him.

"Hush up and get some rest, you." He said. Kíli laughed, the sound muffled by the pillow on his face. He shifted and laid on his side, propping up his injured arm with the pillow.

"But seriously, don't worry too much. We'll figure everything out." Kíli said. Bilbo was silent for a second.

"I know we will." He replied quietly, continuing to dab at Fíli's face with the cloth. All was silent in the tent; it seemed Kíli had fallen asleep. Bilbo swore he heard someone walking away outside, but didn't get up to investigate. Alone with his thoughts, he watched the two sleep with adoring eyes, and eventually fell asleep himself, head on the lower end of Fíli's bed.

When he awoke, there was another person in the tent. Bilbo would recognize that voice anywhere. He quickly sat up, and turned around to see Thorin in quiet conversation with Kíli.

Thorin patted the younger's head, with a murmur of "I'm glad you're feeling better."

A bit unsure of what to do with himself, Bilbo resulted to standing up and leaving the tent. Rather clumsily, he tripped on his own stool and caught himself on the side of the tent. When he turned around, Thorin was looking at him curiously, as was Kíli. Bilbo's face was red with embarrassment.

"G-Good morning." He said simply, rushing out of the tent. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Thorin exiting the tent as well. Perhaps he was just imagining it as he continued down the path, face lit up like a tomato, but he thought Thorin was smiling just a bit.

* * *

After that embarrassing incident, Bilbo made sure to keep his distance until he properly figured out how to go about all of this, which wasn't too hard. Thorin was in many meetings, inspecting the halls of Erebor, making plans and all sorts of things kings do when they rebuild their kingdoms. It was decided that his coronation should wait until he returned from his next journey, which was scheduled to begin the next day. All of the original company were intent on going, and Bilbo felt it was better that way. If they could survive the first one, a simple one such as this wouldn't be difficult at all. A few had family back in the Blue Mountains as it was, so it was only natural they would want to accompany Thorin back and bring their own loved ones to Erebor. They were well stocked and had many more supplies than their first journey. Their horses were fresh and rested, and they brought along well-crafted weapons. Ironically, the path they would take was rather similar to the one that brought them to Erebor.

Much to Thorin's annoyance, they were travelling through Mirkwood again, this time accompanied by members of Thranduil's guard, and back through the mountains. Thanks to the Battle of the Five Armies, as the huge fray was being called now, defenses between Rivendell and Bree on the Great East Road were doubled. No one fancied more orc packs. As Bilbo studied the map of their future travels, he suddenly noticed the path would take them right through Hobbiton. He now wondered what it was like, how his home had changed, if it had at all, and all the little insignificant gossip worthy things in the Shire. No doubt they still wondered where he made off to, and no longer held Bagginses as respectful. It didn't matter much. He decided to make a stop there on the way back from the Blue Mountains; to sort all of his things out. With a shudder of disgust, Bilbo realized his lovely home must be simply _covered_ in dust. He pushed the horrible thought out of his mind, and instead looked to the future. His own journey to recover what he had lost would begin in a few short hours, and he would not fail.


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR NOTE:** Here it is, as promised! I loved writing the middle and end, although the bit at the beginning was fun too. I hope no parts are boring, I have a problem with slow moments in stories. Love to read them, hate to write them. Please keep the reviews coming, and share the story with friends if you enjoy it! Not sure when the next chapter will be out, could be as early as tomorrow or anytime between then and Sunday night. How was everyone's Christmas? Hope you had a great time.

* * *

Chapter 3

He would fail. Bilbo Baggins had no idea how he was going to do this, and it seemed Fíli and Kíli came up with no plans either. Well, not any that he knew about at least. He felt anxious and annoyed and desperate for a way to figure all of this out. Feeling rather miserable, (It seems he felt like this often) he held tightly to the reigns of his pony. Their journey had started around dawn, and it was very different from the first. People cheered and saw them off, waving and pushing each other to get a glimpse of Thorin Oakenshield, cheater of death, and all of his noble company. At the urging of Fíli and Kíli, Bilbo rode next to Thorin, but a few inches behind, in respect to their social standings. It was incredibly awkward. The sun was hanging low over the sky, and snow already blanketed the ground. It was relatively clear, with a few puffy clouds here and there indicating snow. They were of course, prepared for cold weather. There was a grumble of disapproval; their trip would last through the Winter Solstice. Bilbo wasn't sure how dwarves celebrated the Solstice, but in the Shire, it was generally spent inside (Hobbits weren't too fond of extreme warm or cold), with good food, company and simple, home-made gifts. He remembered Solstice with his parents-Belladonna made the best pies. One year, however, Bilbo, barely 15, spent so much time playing outside in the snow that he had a horrible fever and cold over the Holiday. He was so sick; he didn't even want to_ eat_. It was a horrible experience, and Bilbo never spent much time outside in winter after that. Bilbo thought of these memories, and a small smile spread across his face. A hard gust of wind blew, and he snapped to attention. A few paces ahead, Thorin rode silently. The wind gently blew his hair. Bilbo sighed in admiration, longing to reach out and touch him. Thorin surveyed their surroundings and turned to the right, and they all followed. Behind him, Fíli and Kíli were whispering to each other, and the other members of the company were in conversation as well. Bilbo looked at the princes, and Fíli gestured to Thorin.

"Say something." Kíli whispered. Bilbo hesitated. He gazed forward again, thinking of something to say.

"Well, here we are again." He said, loud enough for everyone to hear yet trying to sound casual. Some laughs and murmurs of agreement were heard. Thorin nodded.

"Well, in my case, this would be the first time." He said. Fíli and Kíli laughed. It seemed Thorin Oakenshield was in high spirits this morning, and that was rather encouraging. Perhaps it was because the adventure everyone thought would fail was completed, so something like this was of little difficulty.

The first few hours of their journey were peaceful, no disturbances and no danger-much like the last time. They had been following the River Running southward to their first stop. As they neared the Old Forest Road of Mirkwood, Thorin's familiar scowl returned. None were particularly fond of the Mirkwood elves, even though they had come to fight in the battle. They knew it was because of their own selfish desire that the elves came. Bilbo knew it was only a matter of time before the 'tree-shagger' comments arose. They stopped for lunch about 2 miles from the entrance to Mirkwood, where their guides would be waiting. Instead of eating a lot of the good things first, the company decided to chip away at the lesser things; bread, 1 or 2 sausages each, and some water. No one was fond of starving again. It had begun to snow gently, and Bilbo grumbled in annoyance.

"I can't _stand_ being caught in the snow." He said, mostly to himself. Bofur, who had just thrown a handful of snow at his cousin Bifur, looked curious.

"And why ever not? It might be cold, but lots of fun, _if_ you know how to go about things." A snowball hit him in the face, and Bifur chortled and said something in Khuzdul.

Bofur wiped the snow off of his face, "I'll get you for that!" he said.

Before anyone knew it, their lunch was finished and a small snowball fight had started. Bilbo looked on in disbelief, and all but Thorin, Balin and Dwalin were part of the spectacle. Kíli's laugh rang out into the cold air, followed by threats of retaliation from Nori. Everyone had sorted themselves into little teams. Bilbo honestly wondered how dwarves ever got anything done; they were so prone to random acts of distraction. He stayed far away from the icy projectiles, arms crossed and hands stuffed into his sleeves. Balin and Dwalin made bets on who would give up first, and Thorin stood shaking his head. Bilbo looked up at him, waiting for him to yell at them. He waited a few minutes before doing so, perhaps to finish watching Bofur get assaulted by 4 dwarves with snow.

"Alright, enough!" Thorin called out, and they all stopped. Bofur shook the snow off of his hat and returned to his spot.

"See? Snow can be loads of fun. That is, if your grumpy king doesn't cut the fun short." He said, muttering the last part to Bilbo. Thorin glared in his direction.

"We move on in 10 minutes." He said, leaving the circle of dwarves to tend to his horse. Fíli, whose golden hair was covered in snow, whistled at Bilbo, and jerked his head in Thorin's direction. Bilbo, stood, stretched casually, and headed over to the ponies. Thorin was stroking the side of his own. Bilbo sighed, straightening the reins on his pony.

"Why don't you like snow?" Thorin asked gruffly. The Halfling blinked, looking over. Thorin seemed rather annoyed at the delay of his answer, so Bilbo replied,

"We hobbits prefer warm and cozy places. Anything too warm or too cold is not particularly welcomed." He said, eyes drifting to the Dwarf's face.

"Hm." Thorin responded, swiftly walking away afterwards.

Bilbo stood silently for a second, assessing the situation. This time around, Thorin had spoken to him much earlier than on the last adventure. A good enough sign. Bilbo would take it. He hoped things would get easier; it was very hard to act foreign and keep his distance. He sighed. Everyone prepared their horses and put out the fire. As they headed out, the snow stopped. "Thank the Valar…" Bilbo muttered, urging his pony to move forward. A scoff of amusement came from the King Under the Mountain.

* * *

Surprisingly, there was no snow in Mirkwood. The forest was as thick and dark as Bilbo remembered. He thought about the spiders, and shuddered. Meeting the elves was as awkward and annoying as he had imagined. Hard feelings were felt on both sides, but there was a mutual respect. The Guard Captain that was to guide them was named Hanor, a tall and bright eyed elf. Thorin had looked at him doubtfully when they met, but he remained polite- well, as polite as Thorin Oakenshield would ever be to elves. They were told to leave the ponies behind, the road was too narrow and in disrepair, as most Mirkwood Elves stayed within their kingdom. Everyone unloaded their horses and strapped their bags to their backs. There was an uneasy feeling as they headed down the road, with branches hanging low and threatening to pull them away. The air was thick, and it was hard to breathe. The tall and lean elf led them silently, and no one said anything. Bilbo walked first behind Hanor, then came Thorin, Fíli, Kíli, and so on and so forth. While he and the others walked clumsily, tripping on large roots and the like, the elf and his 4 companions walked gracefully and without trouble. It annoyed Bilbo to an extent, wondering how anyone could be so _perfect_ all the time. He pondered this, eyeing the elf in front of him when his jacket caught on a tree branch, pushing him backwards, and of course, straight into Thorin. The Dwarf-King set him upright, a startled expression on his face. Bilbo looked at him, his face heating up.

"Sorry." He said. Thorin's hands were still on his shoulders. He studied the hobbit for a second.

"Watch where you're going." He grumbled, facing Bilbo forward again and letting go.

"Right…" Bilbo muttered, readjusting his bags and walking forward once again. The company had watched quietly, and now began whispering things to each other. Bilbo took no note of them. He did, however, take note of how Thorin had held him, and wished for another clumsy mishap so that it would happen again. A grumble of annoyance came from somewhere behind, and it sounded like Gloin.

"How come this road is in such disrepair? I'm trippin' over my own feet, it's so narrow and bumpy!" he complained. The others agreed.

"Aye," Nori said, "Not to mention all of this stuff we're carrying!" Bilbo rolled his eyes.

"Oh hush up, we could be stumbling about by ourselves again." He called. The complainers fell silent.

Hanor continued walking forward, but said, "It is not often that we venture passed the Elvenking's Gate. The forest has grown dangerous, and darker powers are growing." The elf explained calmly but sharply. "Only members of the Guard, myself included, leave. In order to secure the borders. So there's no need for a highly maintained road. Besides, unlike you all, we can find our way around." His companions agreed.

They all had similar features, high cheekbones, pale and clear skin, and bright eyes of either blue or green. They had bows strapped to their backs, and swords at their waists. They wore green tunics and some armor pieces. They seemed to get along fine with the thick air as well. Bilbo sighed, brushing a few strands of hair out of his eyes. Some grumbles came from behind him again, but they were silenced just as quickly. Bilbo thought that perhaps Thorin had given them 'the look'.

All in all, no one was happy walking through the forest. After an hour or two, honestly Bilbo had no idea, time was hard to track in this forest, they stopped for a rest. Bilbo sat on a large tree root, nibbling at a biscuit. Hanor and the other elves left to scout ahead, and the dwarves were glad.

"I don't like them." Dwalin exclaimed, arms crossed and leaning on a tree.

"You don't have to like them. You just have to follow them." Bilbo said.

Dwalin glared, "Well I don't want to follow them." Thorin spoke then.

"Well I don't fancy getting lost in this infernal place, Dwalin. Or for a second time, as I've been told." He said, drinking a bit of water. "So Master Baggins is correct. You don't have to like them, or even tolerate them. Just follow them without complaint and we'll be out of here sooner." The Dwarf-King snapped.

Dwalin fell silent, face still pulled into annoyance. Bilbo and Thorin shared a glance for a second, and looked opposite directions. They were about three feet away from each other, yet Fíli and Kíli sat down directly between them.

"Well this is loads of fun, isn't it, Fíli?" Kíli asked.

"Indeed Kíli, _so _much fun." The elder brother responded. Kíli turned to Bilbo.

"What do you think, Bilbo? Aren't we having fun?" he asked. Fíli turned to his uncle.

"And you, uncle Thorin? Having fun too?" Bilbo gave Kíli a doubtful look, and Thorin gave Fíli a roll of his eyes.

"Shut your mouths or fill them with food. Either way, stop blabbing about the fun we're not having." He said sternly.

Kíli shrugged, standing to grab some provisions. Fíli did the same. Bilbo looked over at Thorin. He wanted to say something, but wasn't sure what to say. With a sigh, Bilbo stood and walked out of the camp circle to collect his thoughts. He was feeling rather warm, and it was hard to think. The Halfling leaned his forehead on a tree and closed his eyes.

"Ugh…" Bilbo muttered. He stayed there for about a minute, when a faint noise reached his ears. Bilbo's eyes snapped open, and he looked around.

"Hello?" he asked hesitantly. No answer came. A sharp pain to his side, followed by overwhelming dizziness, indicated to Bilbo that this indeed was like the last time, and his first misfortune had presented itself. With a gasp of pain, the Halfling fell to the ground unconscious. _I…hate…spiders…_

* * *

When Bilbo awoke, he found himself covered and tangled in a silver, sticky substance. Webs were all around, and the one enclosing his body was particularly thick and constricting. He wriggled about, trying to pull Sting out of its sheath.

"Blasted spiders!" he muttered, not being able to reach his goal. He could, however, pull free the webs from his face. His head swam and he felt nauseous, no doubt from the paralyzing spider poison.

As Bilbo looked around, he could see no one. No spiders and no sign of the other members of the company. By the fading light of day, the hobbit could tell that he had been out for 5 or 6 hours. Bilbo sighed in exasperation. Their journey had been going so well, he should have seen it coming. Bilbo wondered if the others would find him, or if he'd be eaten for supper. Supper… the thought of the word made him hungry, despite his nausea, and he had to remind himself this was no time to think of food. Bilbo flipped himself over and crawled like a worm to look over the edge of the thick web. The drop was about 10 or 12 feet.

"Not _too_ bad…" he muttered. The hobbit was never fond of heights, but he certainly wasn't going to be stuck here forever. With a deep breath, he rolled over the side of the web and contacted the ground with a sickening smack. _Great_, he thought, _now I'm not just sick but everything hurts._ Fortunately, the webs had loosened a bit and he could reach Sting. Bilbo looked down at himself, hands fishing for his sword. A few loud thumps followed by a click reached his ears. As the Halfling looked up, a yell escaped his lips.

Above him stood one of the disgusting creatures, its pincers opening and closing menacingly. It snapped down to bite him, but Bilbo moved out of the way. Instead, it ripped his web open. Bilbo scrambled away a short distance, turning around and aiming Sting at the creature. It looked horrible. Two of its legs were missing, and some of its eyes were gone. For a long moment, they inspected each other. The hobbit realized that this must have been one of the spiders he fought before. No wonder it had selected him specifically to capture. Bilbo desperately wished for his ring so he could slip away, and found it rather surprising that he hadn't thought of the ring a single time before this moment. His attachment seemed to have gone as quickly as it came. He shook his head and returned his attention to the beast.

"Stay back!" Bilbo said, slashing the sword in front of him a few times for emphasis. The spider uttered a sickening sound, perhaps a response that he could not understand. It lunged, and the hobbit struck out at it, slashing it across the face. It recoiled in pain, giving Bilbo some time to run away. He climbed over tree roots, sword in hand, and tripped here and there. The webs were getting less thick, but he could hear the sound of the creature following him. Unfortunately, as he turned back to look, he bounced off of something else. After recovering, the poor hobbit found himself surrounded by 4 or 5 spiders, all snapping their pincers and looking menacingly at him. _Damn it all!_ He thought, unsure of what to do. Well, he knew the only thing he could do was fight, so the brave soul stood up and slashed his blade in warning once again.

His bravery was short-lived however- one of the spiders knocked him to the ground and he struggled to get it off, its dark and evil eyes staring down at him angrily and with hunger. As his strength failed, it got closer and closer to his face, and he tried to squirm away from it. But where to? The others were closing in, and for a moment, his heart pounded with the fear of imminent death.

At his breaking point and inches away from being eaten, help came. A familiar battle cry filled the air, followed by the sound of a blade slashing the arachnid above him. The creature shrieked in pain and fell off of him, thudding against the ground. It was dead. Bilbo looked up in shock, and above him stood none other than Thorin Oakenshield. The other members of the company appeared through trees, attacking the other spiders and taking them down.

"W-wh-wha-?" Bilbo asked, all together flummoxed. The Dwarf-King held out a hand, and Bilbo gratefully took it. Thorin easily hoisted him up and looked around, heading to the next spider. More of the monsters came, but as did help. Hanor and his rangers joined the fray, and within a few minutes of everyone fighting and stabbing and slashing, Bilbo included, the spiders stopped coming and those that had come lay on the ground, limbs curled inward, dead.

Twelve people surrounded Bilbo all at once, asking if he felt alright and if he was hurt and what happened. He looked from face to face, unsure how to respond and once again aware of his spidery-ailment and dizziness, lost momentarily to adrenaline. The hobbit shifted from one foot to another, starting to lose his balance.

"Back up and give him some space!" Thorin yelled at the others, and they did so. "Dori, get him some water!" he added. Bilbo looked up at him, vision beginning to swim. He fell to his knees, shutting and opening his eyes, breathing slowly, when he began to black out. The last thing Bilbo Baggins saw was a worried Thorin reaching out to catch him.

* * *

_T__wice in one day_… Bilbo thought to himself as he came to. He was aware of strong and warm arms around him, and the rhythmic swaying and weightlessness that told him he was being carried. It was a wonderful feeling, and he kept his eyes closed until some hair tickled his face. Bilbo cracked open an eye, and saw Thorin above him, his face grim. The hobbit said nothing, admiring the strong features and familiarity of his face. The dwarf's blue eyes looked down at him and quickly upward and ahead.

"How are you feeling?" he asked gruffly.

Bilbo murmured "not well."

And his words were true. He had a splitting headache, and felt rather weak. He hopped the effects of the spider venom would wear off quickly. Thorin lightly set him down between two tree roots, like a make-shift support.

"Rest a while." He said, stepping away to speak to Dwalin. Fíli, Kíli and Ori came to Bilbo's side.

"Gave us quite a scare!" Fíli said, gently patting the hobbit's shoulder. His younger brother nodded.

"You should have seen Uncle Thorin's face when he saw you were missing! It was a good sign. Well, you getting taken by spiders was not good, but you know what I'm getting at." Kíli said.

Bilbo laughed weakly. "I'm glad you all found me. I was sure it was the end." He said.

Ori offered him some water, and the hobbit took it gratefully. The cool water was refreshing, and made Bilbo feel a little better.

"We hit a snag a lot earlier than last time, didn't we?" Fíli commented, sitting atop the tree root to the right of Bilbo. "Hopefully we won't have much more." He added, sharpening one of his knives.

Kíli nodded in agreement. "Well, we should probably let you sleep." He said, standing and stretching. Bilbo sighed in appreciation. He wasn't much in the mood for conversation.

"Thanks…" the Halfling said, turning on his side a little and closing his eyes.

"Feel better." Fíli said, leaving his spot on the tree root to follow his brother.

Bilbo felt himself slipping into sleep, when a clear of a throat caught his attention. His eyes snapped open, and he could see Thorin standing next to him.

"Thorin!" he said, sitting up and instantly regretting it. The quick motion made him dizzy. The dwarf said nothing, but knelt beside him now.

"You should have been more careful." He scolded, though Bilbo highly suspected he didn't mean it. His expression turned cross.

"How was I supposed to know that the moment I moved two feet I'd get attacked?" he replied angrily, arms crossed.

Thorin frowned. "Just…Just be more careful next time." He snapped.

They held eye contact for a second, annoyed with each other, and stayed silent, neither refusing to back down.

"Thank you for rescuing me." Bilbo said finally.

"You're welcome." Thorin said quickly, getting to his feet and leaving.

The Halfling sighed, put his arms around himself, and settled to sleep. Honestly, that Thorin Oakenshield was so…


	4. Chapter 4

Wonderful. Thorin Oakenshield was the most wonderful person in the world, and sitting here on a lounge on a balcony, in Erebor, the wind blowing his raven hair, the sunshine reflecting off of his silver crown, next to Bilbo, the hobbit couldn't help but marvel at him once again.

"I don't understand." Bilbo muttered, looking up at his lover. Thorin looked over at him, eyes bright and curious.

"Don't understand what?" he asked.

Bilbo sighed, leaning on his wide shoulder. "How someone as perfect as you could exist." The hobbit replied. Thorin chuckled.

"I honestly wonder the same about you." He said, tilting Bilbo's chin up. The dwarf looked lovingly into his eyes. He brushed Bilbo's bangs away.

"I love the different hues in your eyes." He tucked some hair behind the Halfling's ear, gently caressing his face in the process.

"And your curls, and these ears." Bilbo closed his eyes, a wide smile on his face.

"Your soft lips…" Thorin muttered, leaning down and planting a slow kiss on Bilbo.

The hobbit linked his arms around Thorin's shoulders, and the dwarf's strong hands held onto his sides. Their lips met again, Thorin's warm ones caressing his passionately. Bilbo's heart soared. The Dwarf-king pushed him downward, and his back hit the soft cushions of the lounge chair. The Halfling pulled Thorin down, a sigh of pleasure escaping his lips. Before he knew it, they were tearing at each other's clothes, annoyed by the array of buttons and layers. Both now shirtless, Thorin placed several slow and sensual kisses on his hobbit, starting from his jaw and moving downward to his shoulder. One of Bilbo's hands brushed through Thorin's hair, the other one pulling the sculpted face up to his own again. The raven haired man ravished him.

"Bilbo…" the hobbit heard. He sighed happily.

"Thorin…" Bilbo muttered.

It was then, when another call of "Bilbo." In another voice came, that the Halfling realized he was dreaming.

Bilbo's eyes snapped open, and he almost groaned in disappointment. He was still in Mirkwood, with an aching back and leaning on a tree root, nowhere near the love of his life. The hobbit looked up, and saw Bofur standing over him.

"It's time to be movin' on." The miner said, jerking his head to the right, indicating the rest of the company. They and the elves stood waiting.

Bofur helped Bilbo up, and the Halfling rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He felt a lot better, besides some soreness and fatigue in his limbs.

"How long was I out?" he asked sleepily.

"Almost a day." Bofur replied, handing Bilbo his bag.

The stiffness in his back and legs seconded Bofur's statement. The hobbit stood straight, and with one look from Thorin, the company was on the move again. Fíli handed him a piece of bread to eat, as well as some water.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. Kíli came up on the other side.

"Better than the other day, for sure." The Halfling responded. Kíli patted his shoulder.

"Good to hear. And we've got some more news to report." He whispered with a smirk. Bilbo looked curious.

"He tried to hide it, but uncle checked on you almost every hour." Fíli whispered from the other side.

"Not to mention he yelled at that guard captain and his rangers for quite a long time." The younger added.

Bilbo suddenly didn't feel so miserable anymore. It was clear at this point that Thorin indeed did care about him, but the hobbit thought it better not to push him. He would wait patiently for his dwarf.

They walked without further mishaps through the forest, though everyone was on edge, and by nightfall, they had reached the borders. The elves said goodbye, and Thorin said something judgmental (which Bilbo could not hear, he was in the back at the time). As the sun set over the mountains, they found themselves once again in the field between the mountains and the forest. Everyone was tired, Thorin included, so Dori and Oin started a fire, while Bombur prepared to cook. The company felt they deserved a bit better meal, after that horrible forest. No one wanted to think that they'd be going through it _again_. Spirits rose with a bowl of stew and a few songs, as well as a warm fire. The air was brisk and a lot colder than in the ancient forest. Bilbo shuddered, inching closer to the fire to warm his hands. The temperature change was not welcome. After a few stories and jokes however, everyone went to sleep. Nori and Dwalin were left on watch. The skies were clear when the hobbit fell asleep, and the stars shone brightly. For once, all was quiet and peaceful. That didn't stop the empty feeling Bilbo had with Thorin's arms not around him.

* * *

The morning was the complete opposite. It was snowed overnight, and the skies were darker and filled with heavy clouds. Bilbo muttered annoyances about the temperature as he packed. The hobbit slipped on his gloves. Thorin stood a little distance away, and sighed. Bilbo looked over at him.

"What's the matter?" he inquired. The dwarf had a serious expression.

"I'm not fond of going through the mountains with snow coming. But we don't have a choice, unless we want to sit here for a few months." The hobbit grimaced.

He hesitantly patted Thorin's shoulder, withdrawing his hand quickly. Thorin didn't move.

"Don't worry. It'll turn out fine, I'm sure." Bilbo replied optimistically, although it felt like a lie.

Something was bound to go wrong. With the oncoming weather, the high altitudes and tricky paths of the mountains, and not to mention the company's affinity for bad luck, something was going to happen. Either way, the company began the trek into the Misty Mountains.

It was a bit of a struggle, with no ponies to carry their supplies. The field toward the mountains was covered in white, and the snow was heavy, not the light, fluffy kind. This was the type of snow that froze with dropping temperatures. The mountain path was relatively clear when the company came upon it, but as they climbed higher, it became more dangerous. The dark clouds from earlier had come closer, and about two hours into their climb, it began to snow violently. There were a few ice pieces in the snow as well, judging by the pelting sensation they all felt. The sky had grown even darker, and it was only midday.

"I warrant we have a nasty storm coming!" Balin called out. The others agreed.

The poor little hobbit followed Thorin closely. The pathway had turned icy, and he wasn't fond of falling down. He grimaced, stepping over to the next section of pathway. There was no happy conversation, and everyone was trying to keep up and stay alive as the storm grew in intensity. It had begun to rain ice, and the wind howled menacingly and forcefully, as if its sole purpose was to hurl them off of the mountainside. Ice was stuck on each of their clothes and bags, and quite a bit of it on everyone's beards and hair.

"This is ridiculous!" the Halfling complained, inching along the path. He was shaking from the cold.

"Hopefully it'll stop soon!" Thorin called from in front of him. He stopped walking for a moment, leaning forward.

"There's a cave ahead! We could wait out the storm, but _no_ sleeping!" he exclaimed.

"Aye, I don't fancy another visit to the Goblin tunnels!" Dwalin called from somewhere in the back. They headed to the cave, slipping in a few spots.

As Thorin took a step toward the entrance, something above crackled and snapped. Bilbo looked up, and a chunk of the mountain, cracked by the pressure of ice, was heading down straight for the Dwarf-king.

"Watch out!" he called, pushing Thorin out of the way and into the cave. They hit the ground with a thud, and the rock debris fell behind them, followed by several more pieces. It took about three seconds for Bilbo to notice that the entrance was covered, and he and Thorin were stuck inside.

Alone.

"Oh no no no no!" he said, trying to lift the rocks away. Worried voices could be heard from the other side, and everyone was in hysterics.

"It's no use! We can't break the pieces from inside here." Thorin said, coming up next to the hobbit.

"Bofur!" he called.

"What?" the miner replied from the other side of the barrier.

"Use your pickaxe and start hacking away! We have to get out of here!"

A few seconds later, the sound of rock chipping away indicated that he had done as told. Bilbo looked around the cold, wet cave, and shuddered, putting his arms around himself. It was certainly colder in here than out there, which was strange. It was dark and hard to see anything. He sighed, and a puff of smoke left his lips, indicating how cold it really was.

"Ugh…" he groaned, sitting down and huddling in on himself. To his surprise, Thorin sat down directly next to him, in a similar condition.

"I-it's so cold…" Bilbo stuttered after a few minutes of awkward silence, the only sound being the wind whipping outside and Bofur's pickaxe hacking away. His eyes now accustomed to the dim lighting, he looked over at Thorin.

There was a peculiar expression on his face, and only when the dwarf muttered, "We could huddle together…for warmth." Accompanied with an awkward cough, did Bilbo understand.

Without another word, he nestled himself in Thorin's chest, and after a second of tenseness, the dwarf put his arms around him. Bilbo sighed, still very cold but feeling a lot better in this familiar spot. Thorin held him tightly and closely, his hair around both of their faces. They stayed silent, but neither pulled away. After about 10 minutes, the Halfling began to feel warmer.

"How long do you think we'll be in here?" he muttered, voice muffled by Thorin's chest. He could feel Thorin shaking his head, his braids copying his motions.

"No idea…" he replied, a lot quieter than anything he had said lately. Bilbo looked up at him, heart pounding. Did he really want to risk it? Perhaps not…Then again, he longed for the way they touched in his earlier dream. He made a small and involuntary noise, perhaps something like a whimper, and the blue eyed-dwarf looked down at him curiously. The hobbit's cheeks flushed. Thorin looked softly at him, readjusting his arms so that their position was more comfortable.

"Are you getting warmer?" he asked. Bilbo nodded.

"Good…We should be out soon." Thorin replied less compassionately, looking back toward the entrance. Another moment of silence.

"Thorin…" Bilbo said. The dwarf returned his gaze to the man in his arms.

"You know…" Thorin replied. "I think seeing those spiders again revealed one of my lost memories."

Bilbo raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked curiously.

Thorin nodded. His brows were pulled down in annoyance, and he struggled for words. "I…I remembered how I felt the first time you went missing. When we were captured by the elves."

This caught the Halfling's attention.

"Oh?" he asked curiously.

The dwarf nodded once again, looking down into Bilbo's green eyes.

"I was worried and doubtful and very anxious to get you back."

Bilbo felt very warm, perhaps from happiness.

Without thinking of it, he leaned up and quickly kissed Thorin. The dwarf-king blinked, stunned.

"Well-" Bilbo was cut off by Thorin's lips.

His hands cupped the golden brown haired man's cheeks. Bilbo thought he was going to pass out from happiness. It had been so long since they kissed, and he felt whole and complete despite the cold, with Thorin's lips pressed against his own. They embraced for several moments, deepening the kiss and sharing several more.

A wolf whistle and the sound of laughing snapped the two out of it, and Bilbo found himself on the cold, wet floor and away from Thorin's arms in an instant. The dwarf cleared his throat and glared at the others, who had managed to open the cave entrance sometime while they were kissing.

"Well, you all seem to be having no problem keeping warm!" Bofur guffawed. Thorin threw a rock at him.

Fíli and Kíli gave the two knowing looks, and backed out. Thorin pushed passed everyone and far away from Bilbo.

The hobbit sighed and grumbled things under his breath. As he looked around, he could see that the storm had passed and the sky was becoming clear. The wind howled softly, but it was a lot more peaceful than earlier.

"Let's keep going!" Thorin called from ahead, seemingly intent on staying as far away from Bilbo as possible.

_Well, it was nice while it lasted…_ the hobbit thought, pulling up his backpack and following the stream of dwarves along the tricky path again. He found himself between Fíli and Kíli.

"Sorry for interrupting." Kíli said from behind.

"Seems like you were finally getting somewhere with him." Fíli added. Bilbo sighed.

"Well, there's always another time." He grumbled.

Bilbo looked up to see Thorin looking behind at the three of them, and swiftly turning forward again.

* * *

The rest of the day was clear, no more snow. Bombur almost fell off of the mountainside, but he was quickly rescued. Ori was feeling rather annoyed, Dori kept checking if he was having trouble walking across the icy path. They continued through the night, not wanting to trust another cave. The next day was spent similarly.

He tried to ignore it, but Bilbo could hear the whispers of the others all around them, talking about the current status of Thorin's and his own relationship. And from the glare on Thorin's face, the hobbit could tell he heard it too. Bilbo wondered what he thought of it, and felt a little miserable again, walking on in silence despite the playful banter between the brothers around him. Thorin did not turn around often, and when he did, he looked at anyone and anything except for the hobbit. It was horribly annoying. Only when the path started sloping downwards again and the snow and began to lessen quite a bit did everyone's mood improve. By nightfall they had reached the other side of the mountains. A cheer rang through the group as the path evened out and they were on solid ground again. A fire was started to ward off the cold, and another one of Bombur's stews filled their stomachs. They rested their aching feet.

"I'll keep watch, the rest of you get some sleep." Thorin declared once finished with his meal. He left their circle and stood in the moonlit night, looking into the distance and over the short field. On the other side of that field was the entrance to Rivendell.

Bilbo sat quietly in the circle, close to the fire. He looked over and watched the dwarf stand in solitude, no doubt thinking. With a small nod to himself, the hobbit stood up and joined Thorin. The raven haired man looked down at Bilbo. He said nothing for a while, gaze returning to the wide plain before them.

"Aren't you tired?" Thorin asked suddenly.

The Halfling blinked at the sudden break of silence, and recovered with an answer of, "I suppose so. Aren't you?" Thorin grunted.

"Doesn't matter. Someone has to keep watch." Bilbo rolled his eyes, but stood quietly, admiring the moon and stars.

"Listen, about earlier…" he started. Thorin cut him off.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." He snapped, turning the other way.

Bilbo gave his dwarf a very dangerous glare. "And why ever not? It's not just something you can push off, Thorin." The Halfling crossed his arms.

Thorin Oakenshield's own face was twisted in dismay, but he refused to look at the shorter man. "I can push off whatever I like." He grumbled.

Bilbo sighed in exasperation, turning to go to the opposite side of the camp, deciding to help Thorin keep watch by _himself_.

"Where are you going?" Thorin called.

"Away from stubborn dwarves like you!" Bilbo replied, stomping off.

Bilbo Baggins was in no mood to deal with anyone that acted like a six year old, and he was _not_ going stand and convince Thorin to put on his big dwarf trousers and speak like an adult about a very real subject that had to do with both of them. The rest of the company was giving curious looks as the hobbit passed, but no one dare say anything. Muttering all sorts of threats and phrases, Bilbo sat alone on a large rock, keeping watch.

From quite a distance away, he could hear Fíli and Kíli scolding their uncle. The circle of dwarves around the fire were talking about it too.

After a few minutes of it, he had enough.

"Will all of you just _stop_?!" the Halfling snapped, causing all twelve people to fall silent immediately.

Bilbo faced away from them all once again, arms crossed. It didn't matter that he couldn't sleep on this voluntary watch, he was too furious to do so anyway. He sighed heavily, looking down at the ground.

The loud sound of boots approaching told him someone had finally decided to grow up. Or maybe not. Bilbo didn't turn around to look, not even when the approaching person cleared their throat.

After a short silence, the person, whose voice revealed them to be none other than Thorin, spoke. "I'm sorry." He muttered.

Bilbo scoffed.

"I'm sorry, what was that? It's so loud out here that I'm afraid I didn't hear correctly." He said sarcastically.

He could practically feel Thorin seething with annoyance.

"Come on, uncle!" Kíli very loudly whispered from somewhere nearby.

"Shut up!" Thorin whispered back. He moved around to stand in front of the Halfling.

Bilbo looked up at the dwarf with an expression that meant, 'well?'

Thorin leaned down a little, looking into his eyes. "I'm sorry for how I acted." The Dwarf-king said quietly. It sounded rough around the edges, but Bilbo knew he meant it.

His posture loosened, and his arms uncrossed themselves. "Apology accepted." He replied. "Now why don't you sit down and we can talk this over like adults?"

The dark haired man's stern expression returned, and he plopped down next to the hobbit, ready to listen.

"Amazing- he _can_ be corrected." Fíli said from somewhere, most likely the same place Kíli was.

Thorin turned to yell at them, but Bilbo beat him to it. "You won't have to spy anymore tonight, go to sleep you ridiculous children."

Fíli and Kíli appeared from a nearby bush with casual shrugs, returning to the camp spot. With a sigh, the hobbit returned his attention to Thorin.

"Now, shall we start?" he asked.

Thorin's frown indicated 'yes'.

* * *

**AUTHOR NOTE:** Man I love pissed off Bilbo. He's just about had it with everyone's shit and people whispering about him everywhere and Thorin acting like a huge idiot. The others will have another thing coming if they think this little hobbit can't straighten them all out when he gets angry. Stop acting like an idiot, Thorin! You know you love him!

Omg why am I saying all this, I'm the only choosing their lines and actions! /Facepalm

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Not sure when the next one will be out. Also enjoy these quick updates while you can, they'll be a lot slower once I get back to school.


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